Alumni

The Academy of Art University Alumni Association encompasses a dynamic community of over 25,000 artists, designers and visual communicators around the globe. Membership in the Alumni Association is FREE to all graduates of the Academy and provides networking opportunities both for its members and industry professionals.

TRUCKEE, Calif. - (Oct. 24, 2017) – The Florence Biennale, a renowned international art exhibit, recently awarded first-place recognition in the mixed media category to Marcio Decker, Decker Fine Arts and co-owner of Truckee, Calif. based Aspen Leaf Interiors. Decker was the only artist representing the U.S. to be recognized.

The Biennale is a contemporary art exhibit held every other year in Florence, Italy, that gathers hundreds of artists from all over the world to display their works. The finalists whose works were on exhibit and competing for Best of Show accolades were selected from over 3,000 nominated and reviewed artists; their works were hosted in the Spadolini Pavilion of the historic Fortezza da Basso in Florence for 10 days

Begun in 1997, the Biennale promotes cross-cultural dialogue through art as an independent showcase for contemporary art. An international jury composed of critics, museum directors and scholars selects winners in a variety of art categories. Themed eARTh – Creativity & Sustainability, the XI Florence Biennale was held from Oct. 6-15 and hosted 462 artists from 70 countries.

Decker’s piece, “Vanishing Mutualism,” was awarded first place in the mixed media category. The work is a triptych, with three panels of collages that incorporates acrylic paint and photographs, backlit by LED lights. The panels depict abstracted selfies of the artist and his friends that become more flat and monochromatic with each successive panel, with the final panel depicting a dissipating, barren desert-like environment, suggesting a future void of the necessary harmony between man and nature.

“The piece is inspired by the pact that should exist between humans and nature,” said Decker. “It poses the question, ‘can we go back to where we were before?’”

"It is a human work pretending to be digital in order to catch the eye of the viewer and build a connection," explained Emanuela Catalano, an Italian art critic and historian who viewed the piece.

In addition to his painting and mixed media artwork, Decker is the co-founder of acclaimed interior design company, Aspen Leaf Interiors, based in Truckee, Calif. His art and design work “walk together,” as he says, often influencing and building upon each other. Decker’s works of art are sometimes even purchased by home owners for whom he is designing their home.

About Marcio Decker: The Brazilian-born artist and interior designer studied fine arts in Brazil and Colombia before moving to the Reno/Tahoe area in 2000 and ultimately attending the Academy of Art in San Francisco where he received a master’s degree in interior architecture and design. Decker enjoys abstract painting, curating artworks for private collections and shows, as well as spending time at Lake Tahoe with his family and two Yorkshire Terriers. Visit Decker Fine Arts for more information on his art or Aspen Leaf Interiors for details about his interior design firm or call 775-342-3477.

On Saturday December 9th from 6pm to 8pm, the design collective Morning Breath Inc. (Jason Noto and Doug Cunningham), will return to the Bay Area to celebrate the publication of their latest book, By the Skin of Our Teeth. The Release Party will include a pop-up poster show, book signing, and a panel discussion moderated by Jeremy Fish.

About the Book:

A beautifully designed visual history of Morning Breath, Inc., the Brooklyn-based boutique design studio whose collaborators including top musical artists (from Jay Z to the Foo Fighters) as well as such top brands as Vans and Adidas.

In 1996 while working at the in-house design department at Think Skateboards in San Francisco, creatives Doug Cunningham and Jason Noto forged a collaborative style that would transform into a remarkable partnership: an endeavor they called Morning Breath.

Working with some of the top music artists and corporations, Morning Breath has made its aesthetic mark on pop culture, devising Grammy-nominated and award-winning work that has been featured in art shows across the country. Incorporating passé pop culture art elements into fresh, original imagery, Noto and Cunningham have produced an amazing portfolio of artwork for a wide range of clients, including Absolut Vodka, Solomon Snowboards, MTV, Pepsi, Kanye West, Eminem, Jay Z , Slayer, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Vans, and Adidas.

In By the Skin of Our Teeth, Cunningham and Noto tell the story of Morning Breath, showcasing their artwork and designs, from music packaging, T-shirts, and posters to fine arts, lifestyle, and products. They also spotlight the artistic influences and styles that have shaped them, including graffiti art, silk screening, computer graphics, collaging, and painting.

Filled with dozens of full-color images, By the Skin of Our Teeth is an invaluable display of Morning Breath’s provocative, imaginative, and original style—a combination of the dream-like and the quotidian—that has captured the attention of artists, designers, and pop culture lovers everywhere.

The list of contributors consists of a wide-range of writers and artists, all of whom help put the creative work of Morning Breath in narrative perspective. Contributors include Mike Giant, Bill Adler, Jeremy Fish, Geoff Peveto, Matthew Newton, Matt Revelli, and Eddie Zammit.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has just announced their top 41 Global Fashion Graduates for 2017 and Academy of Art University has the most graduates included! Check out the full story HERE

WET seeks Designer to develop and design water feature projects. Develop the conceptual design in collaboration with other designers. Sketch designs and make models of designs. Burbank, California

Collective Press is looking for creative, resourceful people to join as production assistants in our SF office. We are digital media startup making online videos in lifestyle verticals: cooking, diy, hacks, and more. San Francisco, California

Uomo SF has an immediate opening for a social media/marketing coordinator & web design. In this position, you will be responsible for the day-to-day administrative operations and management of all marketing, web design, and social media activity for Uomo SF. San Francisco, California

Presidio Knolls School is looking for a Progressive Elementary After School Teacher. Interact with children using positive, supportive, respectful and open-minded attitude, language and tone. San Francisco, California

Rebecca Overmann, Inc is looking for a production bench jeweler with a solid set of skills, a fantastic attitude, and eye for detail to play a key role in our sunny Mission studio. San Francisco, California

Landscape Architecture Graduate Student Nahal Sohbati has won the American Society of Landscape Architects Student Award for Community Design. She designed a safe community park for S.F.'s Ingleside neighborhood. She also designed it to be a butterfly sanctuary. Congratulations Nahal!

WRKSHP is looking for a Videogame Artist with a passion for games, music, culture, and fashion. San Francisco, CA

Soloman Page Fashion & Beauty is looking for a recruiter with 2+ years of in house or agency experience in design, tech design, CAD, product development, merchandising, planning. San Francisco, CA

Bird School of Music/Bird Records is seeking a studio coordinator/receptionist who is task oriented, caring, and fun. San Francisco, CA

The Lycée Français de San Francisco (LFSF) is looking for a Drama/Theatre Teacher. The ability to speak and understand French is preferable. San Francisco, CA

Yelp is looking for an Account Executive // Digital Advertising. Own and manage a pipeline of clients ranging from dentists to florists to restaurant owners.
Consult, educate, strategize, and successfully sell Yelp advertising programs. San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, New York & Washington D.C.

Starting in September, on the second Sundays of the month, there will be a curated Artisan & Craftsmen Marketplace at the Cannery Courtyard in Del Monte Square. This marketplace is a joint effort between the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, the Academy of Art University and the Argonaut Hotel. This marketplace will be the first in a series of events to help activate this amazing space with events that can appeal to both locals and visitors.

If you would like to participate or If you know anybody who would, please point them to the application located at www.cannerycourtyard.com. The Marketplace will be from 11-5 pm and there is no cost to the vendors.

Bay Area Sound Inc. is looking for an Audio Engineer who is comfortable working in a virtual environment, have schedule flexibility, a sense of humor, and the ability to speak their minds. Multiple locations, Bay Area, California

Harvest Preparatory Academy is looking for highly qualified teachers for the 2017-2018 School year. Goodyear, San Luis, Yuma, Arizona

Brilliant Earth is searching looking for a Website Merchandising Coordinator to support the management of our online product catalogue and product website assets. San Francisco, California

H&L Partners is looking for a copywriter to partner with copywriters to create TV commercials, branded content/web films, radio commercials, out of home and digital advertising. San Francisco, CA

Savitude Inc. is looking for a Style Assessment and Evaluation Intern (paid) who will review inventory for design and style. Bay Area, California